1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an amusement game wherein a catapult mechanism projects objects toward various targets within an enclosed playing area, and in particular to an amusement game in which a catapult is lever activated and receives coins via a chute arrangement. The user controls the lever to catapult objects to various target within the game playing area. The arrangement of the coin entry mechanism, the chute, the self aligning projectile receptacle, and the flipping mechanism provide a constant locating mechanism which accurately locates the objects on the flipping mechanism, and the flipping mechanism permits various angles of trajectory.
2. Description of Related Art
Various amusement games are known in which a player tosses objects toward various targets. Many of these games simulate actual athletic games, and employ a tossing objective.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,525 to Palazzolo discloses a basketball game requiring the player to operate a ball thrower arm lever which throws a ball toward a basket. Means are provided for returning the ball to the ball thrower lever arm. A funnel arrangement aligns the ball on the lever arm for subsequent shots, and scoring mechanism tracks successful shots.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,325 to Stender discloses an aerial bowling game having a target assembly with open receptacles arranged in a tenpin configuration and an upright backboard to deflect the projectile into a desired receptacle. The catapult mechanism provides a projectile launcher with preselected and adjustable launching forces. However, the catapult mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,325 must be manually loaded by the player.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,160 to Wichinsky et al. discloses a coin projecting and target game apparatus wherein a projecting mechanism shoots coins into a playing area. Pusher means are also provided to push collecting pieces of a shelf configuration. The projecting mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,160 includes a rotatable flipper driven by belts and motors. Thus, the player does not control the force of the projecting mechanism, and the flipper mechanism is loaded as coin fall from the shelf configuration.
In addition, the prior art fails to teach a mechanism for varying the trajectory of the projectile for tossing whereby both a long, low trajectory for distant targets or a shorter, higher trajectory for closer targets.
The need exist for a coin tossing game wherein the tossing ability and accuracy of the player is paramount, and wherein the coin entry mechanism provides a constant locating mechanism for consistent and accurate location of the projectile to be flipped or tossed.